Thanks for this great question about one of my favourite topics! My process for selecting/collection development of GNs has evolved over time as I learned more about the format. To begin with though, I defer to my employer's collection development policy. You can find public versions of this policy here: http://virl.bc.ca/about-us/library-policies/collection-development This policy does not cover materials on a format or genre basis; it is intended to give the public an awareness of our criteria for selection only. But this is the broad starting point for VIRL librarians' collection development philosophy. We also use the Texas Library Association's CREW Weeding Manual as a guideline for de-selection of materials: https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew/index.html As for the GN format in particular, first of all, we select to suit these broader criteria. Then, we refer to the guidelines given in our internal Customer Service Policy Manual, which I will copy here:
7.1.1. Adult Collections
Nonfiction Nonfiction collections are developed primarily in subject areas where there is significant actual or anticipated demand. VIRL concentrates on acquiring current books that introduce and address the major aspects of a subject area to support routine inquiries from the public. In some subjects, book collections are developed more extensively to support independent study (e.g. English as a second language) and lifelong learning. Collections include recent and retrospective works.
Fiction
Fiction collections are developed to satisfy the need for reading materials for Customers of differing tastes, interests, and reading skills. Current popular fiction is emphasized; however, a diversity of contemporary novels and short stories by Canadian and major foreign authors, as well as classic works are represented.
7.1.2. Young Adult Collections (YA and YNF)
The primary audience for young adult materials is Library users between the ages of 13 and 18. The collection emphasizes contemporary popular fiction in paperback format but also includes some hard cover fiction and nonfiction on current social issues of interest to this age group. In addition, nonfiction materials are acquired to supplement school curricula for this age group. Materials with high interest and limited vocabulary are acquired to meet the needs of young adults with less-developed reading skills.
7.1.3. Juvenile Collections
Juvenile book collections focus on the needs of children from infancy through 12 years of age. A colour coded poster identifying these collections is available for Libraries (for a copy of this poster please contact the Programming and Youth Services Manager).
Nonfiction JEN and JNF
Collection development focuses on the subject areas with significant demand and/or interest. In some subject areas, collections are further developed to provide a wider selection of materials for more comprehensive study. The primary audience is children aged 5 to 12. Nonfiction is separated into JEN, to be read by children ages 5-8; and JNF for children aged 9-12 years old.
Fiction J
The fiction collection contains contemporary and retrospective materials. It reflects the wide variety of reading levels. The primary audience is children aged 9 to 12.
Picture Books JE
A picture books collection contains contemporary and retrospective materials. The primary audience is children from infancy to eight years, and their parents and caregivers.
Books for Beginning Readers JS and JEF
A collection of large print, controlled vocabulary readers purchased to provide reading practice. They are classified as JS, Juvenile Starters. Selections of beginning chapter books are classified as JEF, Juvenile Easy Fiction. The primary audience is children aged 5 to 8 who are learning to read.
Then, with all of this criteria in mind, we begin the process of applying our own professional and experiential judgments in the selection of materials. For me, this is composed of several different influences:
professional knowledge gleaned from GN discussion groups like the GNLIB-L listserv. ***This has probably been one of the most useful tools in terms of developing my own sensibilities about the format. This listserv is composed of, among others, professional librarians responsible for GN coll-dev as well as professional reviewers, writers, and publishers of GNs. A must-join for librarians interested in GNs, IMHO.
There are also several good books published for librarians on this subject. You can find several of them in our catalogue: http://virl.bibliocommons.com/search?q=Libraries+--+Special+Collections+--+Graphic+Novels&t=subject All of the opinions, critiques, reviews, and data I glean from these sources I add to my local observations and knowledge of how GNs are received and used in our system. I can track this to some extent with our ILS software, but this knowledge is also learned by interacting with customer using GNs. In this way, I can do some tailoring my local (branch) collection of kids' and teens' GNs to what I think the regulars might like to see when they come in. However, as you may know, VIRL has a system-wide, "floating" collection, meaning that "local" collections do not remain constant in terms of items present. As far as promotion of the format, in most branches of VIRL, the GNs are shelved separately from other fiction and non-fiction, either by audience (adult/YA/J) or by type, as is the case with manga. This is to improve findability and although it can be more difficult for staff trying to locate requested items in many different areas, it greatly improves the quality of service for customers by making items easier to find and browse. For comparison, imagine how difficult it would be in a large collection to find a DVD you were interested in if they were all interfiled with the print non-fiction. At the NHF branch, the adult GNs, YA GNs, and manga are currently shelved separately, and the J GNs soon will be. We also promote the GN collection with regular displays of GNs based around a theme, and by trying to come up with programming that helps to encourage the use of GN art and literature to help a reader evolve and expand their reading and learning experiences. E.g., we recently hosted a workshop for tween's with a published GN artist, who walked them through GN/comix character development. It was a big hit!
Branch #2:
The bulk of our collections are managed centrally, so I can only respond in a limited way, I'm afraid. Generally, I look at some standard review sources, mainly Kirkus, Children & Libraries, VOYA, and Booklist, and if I see something I think we should have, I check our catalogue. If we don't already have it, I place an order.
Last month, our system's head of youth services notified us that we had an abundance of money in the youth budget, and asked us to place as many orders as possible. I was already looking at moving juvenile graphic novels to their own location, so I started looking around online for core lists of j GNs, and cross-referencing them with our collection. I can't remember all the sites I used for the core lists, but No Flying No Tights was one (of course!), and Joe Shuster Awards another (for specifically Canadian titles).
As of now, our j GNs are still interfiled with fiction and non-fiction by author, but as soon as I get enough of the new titles in, I will put them in their own location, on a prominent shelf in the children's section. For series, I plan to alphabetize them by series title, with superheroes by their superhero name; for non-series titles, I will alphabetize by author. This is my PLAN, anyway; I haven't cleared that part with my manager yet. YA graphic novels are already on shelves of their own in our teen section, and the other youth services librarian has that collection separated into manga and non-manga sections. Both sections are alphabetized by author. This may mean I don't get my way on the issue of organizing by title, but I don't know - maybe I'll convince him to do it my way, instead. :)
Vancouver Island Regional Library
Branch #1:
Thanks for this great question about one of my favourite topics! My process for selecting/collection development of GNs has evolved over time as I learned more about the format. To begin with though, I defer to my employer's collection development policy. You can find public versions of this policy here: http://virl.bc.ca/about-us/library-policies/collection-development
This policy does not cover materials on a format or genre basis; it is intended to give the public an awareness of our criteria for selection only. But this is the broad starting point for VIRL librarians' collection development philosophy. We also use the Texas Library Association's CREW Weeding Manual as a guideline for de-selection of materials: https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew/index.html
As for the GN format in particular, first of all, we select to suit these broader criteria. Then, we refer to the guidelines given in our internal Customer Service Policy Manual, which I will copy here:
Nonfiction
Nonfiction collections are developed primarily in subject areas where there is significant actual or anticipated demand. VIRL concentrates on acquiring current books that introduce and address the major aspects of a subject area to support routine inquiries from the public. In some subjects, book collections are developed more extensively to support independent study (e.g. English as a second language) and lifelong learning. Collections include recent and retrospective works.
Fiction
Fiction collections are developed to satisfy the need for reading materials for Customers of differing tastes, interests, and reading skills. Current popular fiction is emphasized; however, a diversity of contemporary novels and short stories by Canadian and major foreign authors, as well as classic works are represented.
7.1.2. Young Adult Collections (YA and YNF)
The primary audience for young adult materials is Library users between the ages of 13 and 18. The collection emphasizes contemporary popular fiction in paperback format but also includes some hard cover fiction and nonfiction on current social issues of interest to this age group. In addition, nonfiction materials are acquired to supplement school curricula for this age group. Materials with high interest and limited vocabulary are acquired to meet the needs of young adults with less-developed reading skills.
7.1.3. Juvenile Collections
Juvenile book collections focus on the needs of children from infancy through 12 years of age. A colour coded poster identifying these collections is available for Libraries (for a copy of this poster please contact the Programming and Youth Services Manager).
Nonfiction JEN and JNF
Collection development focuses on the subject areas with significant demand and/or interest. In some subject areas, collections are further developed to provide a wider selection of materials for more comprehensive study. The primary audience is children aged 5 to 12. Nonfiction is separated into JEN, to be read by children ages 5-8; and JNF for children aged 9-12 years old.
Fiction J
The fiction collection contains contemporary and retrospective materials. It reflects the wide variety of reading levels. The primary audience is children aged 9 to 12.
Picture Books JE
A picture books collection contains contemporary and retrospective materials. The primary audience is children from infancy to eight years, and their parents and caregivers.
Books for Beginning Readers JS and JEF
A collection of large print, controlled vocabulary readers purchased to provide reading practice. They are classified as JS, Juvenile Starters. Selections of beginning chapter books are classified as JEF, Juvenile Easy Fiction. The primary audience is children aged 5 to 8 who are learning to read.
Then, with all of this criteria in mind, we begin the process of applying our own professional and experiential judgments in the selection of materials. For me, this is composed of several different influences:
- professional knowledge gleaned from GN discussion groups like the GNLIB-L listserv. ***This has probably been one of the most useful tools in terms of developing my own sensibilities about the format. This listserv is composed of, among others, professional librarians responsible for GN coll-dev as well as professional reviewers, writers, and publishers of GNs. A must-join for librarians interested in GNs, IMHO.
- GN review websites like:
- http://noflyingnotights.com/
- http://www.graphicnovelreporter.com/
- professional librarian/ship blogs & websites:
- http://www.voya.com/2010/03/30/graphically-speaking/
- http://www.koyagi.com/Libguide.html
- http://littleteenlibrarian.blogspot.com/2010/02/ala-great-graphic-novels-2010.html
- http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/greatgraphicnovelsforteens/gn.cfm
- and resource pages put together by, e.g. MLIS departments at universities, or other such information aggregators:
- http://www.courses.unt.edu/efiga/GraphicNovels/GraphicNovelsAndComicsWebsites.htm
- http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/graphicnovels.asp#resource
There are also several good books published for librarians on this subject. You can find several of them in our catalogue:http://virl.bibliocommons.com/search?q=Libraries+--+Special+Collections+--+Graphic+Novels&t=subject
All of the opinions, critiques, reviews, and data I glean from these sources I add to my local observations and knowledge of how GNs are received and used in our system. I can track this to some extent with our ILS software, but this knowledge is also learned by interacting with customer using GNs. In this way, I can do some tailoring my local (branch) collection of kids' and teens' GNs to what I think the regulars might like to see when they come in. However, as you may know, VIRL has a system-wide, "floating" collection, meaning that "local" collections do not remain constant in terms of items present.
As far as promotion of the format, in most branches of VIRL, the GNs are shelved separately from other fiction and non-fiction, either by audience (adult/YA/J) or by type, as is the case with manga. This is to improve findability and although it can be more difficult for staff trying to locate requested items in many different areas, it greatly improves the quality of service for customers by making items easier to find and browse. For comparison, imagine how difficult it would be in a large collection to find a DVD you were interested in if they were all interfiled with the print non-fiction. At the NHF branch, the adult GNs, YA GNs, and manga are currently shelved separately, and the J GNs soon will be.
We also promote the GN collection with regular displays of GNs based around a theme, and by trying to come up with programming that helps to encourage the use of GN art and literature to help a reader evolve and expand their reading and learning experiences. E.g., we recently hosted a workshop for tween's with a published GN artist, who walked them through GN/comix character development. It was a big hit!
Branch #2:
The bulk of our collections are managed centrally, so I can only respond in a limited way, I'm afraid. Generally, I look at some standard review sources, mainly Kirkus, Children & Libraries, VOYA, and Booklist, and if I see something I think we should have, I check our catalogue. If we don't already have it, I place an order.
Last month, our system's head of youth services notified us that we had an abundance of money in the youth budget, and asked us to place as many orders as possible. I was already looking at moving juvenile graphic novels to their own location, so I started looking around online for core lists of j GNs, and cross-referencing them with our collection. I can't remember all the sites I used for the core lists, but No Flying No Tights was one (of course!), and Joe Shuster Awards another (for specifically Canadian titles).
As of now, our j GNs are still interfiled with fiction and non-fiction by author, but as soon as I get enough of the new titles in, I will put them in their own location, on a prominent shelf in the children's section. For series, I plan to alphabetize them by series title, with superheroes by their superhero name; for non-series titles, I will alphabetize by author. This is my PLAN, anyway; I haven't cleared that part with my manager yet. YA graphic novels are already on shelves of their own in our teen section, and the other youth services librarian has that collection separated into manga and non-manga sections. Both sections are alphabetized by author. This may mean I don't get my way on the issue of organizing by title, but I don't know - maybe I'll convince him to do it my way, instead. :)